of the Old World. 509 



ing correctly, the inspector should cause him to snap 

 caps at a lighted candle placed about a yard distant, 

 when, if the aim is properly directed, the candle will 

 be extinguished. The novice should be attentively 

 watched during this practice until all tendency to 

 wink or flinch is overcome, and his countenance 

 shows that he has become indifferent to the report. 



This practice is most excellent for forming " marks- 

 men" for, besides saving ammunition, it may be con- 

 tinually resorted to, even in a room, the bull's-eye 

 being a small black wafer on the wall at one end and 

 the stand taken at the other. By snapping caps only 

 the young beginner is enabled to see whether the 

 muzzle of the barrel wavers when he presses the 

 trigger, which he cannot properly ascertain when 

 firing ball, on account of the smoke of the discharge. 

 The constant handling of the rifle in a proper manner, 

 by aiming at various objects at different distances, 

 enables " the finger to work in unison with the eye," 

 and gives great steadiness of position before, during, 

 and after pressing the trigger, which is all that is 

 required in making good ball-practice at a target of 

 which the distance is known. 



BLANK-CARTRIDGE FIRING. Before the novice 

 be allowed to fire a ball, he should practice a certain 

 routine of blank-cartridge firing, in order to further 

 the same object for which he was exercised in snap- 

 ping caps, as well as to the "recoil" or "kick," 



